{Please select Skills to improve... Bite, Claw, Cultivate Growth, Detect, Pounce}
An attak skill would be useful... Claw.
{Select Evolution pathway... Grass/Ice}
Evolution? That was not the same thing as simply improving. Grass? I guess.
{Claw (E) growth tree changed to Poison Claw (D-)}
{Would Tamer like Beast to learn any new skills?}
Icing, Frozen Aura, and... Water Kiss.
{Beast, Aspen, will learn Icing, Frozen Aura, and Water Kiss at a faster pace. To speed up process please supply Beast with a suitable environment.}
Winter was still weeks away. I looked around the room. Like most classes that encouraged beasts to learn Elemental skills there were a bunch of odd things around the room. Water filled bowls, herbs in pots, metal ingots, and a glass freezer! I picked Aspen up and carried him over.
"Okay buddy! This should help!" I said as I placed him within the glass. I caught a few looks from others in the class. Aspen settled into the space without issue. I guess I just wait? How did one teach skills? I pulled out my tablet to do research. Aspen did his own thing while I did. He was a new born so there was a limit to what I could expect from him. Even with my skill helping out.
Skills are learned through three methods. The first and most effective is Beast to Beast. This is where an older more experienced Beast demonstrates skills for younger, weaker beasts. Following that are the inherented skills. Lastly is the Enlightenment method.
The Enlightenment method is... the hardest one. It largely depends on every beasts own ability to learn on its own. This also the only method Tamers have to gain more skills. It is the cheapest but least reliable way to train Beasts.
{Aspen has successfully started absorbing Ice elements in the surroundings. Frost Aura (E+) learned!}
My head jerked to look at Aspen who was napping happily. I felt my eye twitch. Which of us was reincarnated?
Frost Aura was the start of the Frozen Aura skill tree. As I looked over Aspen. A thin layer of frost had formed on the fur of his ears.
"Wha?!" I heard someone squeak behind me. Aspen lifted his head with narrowed eyes. I turned to look at the girl. She had snow white hair and pale blue eyes. Her skin was pale and smooth. I stood from where I had sat and told Aspen to lay back down.
"Hello," I smiled. My eyes flicking to her arm. A white and gray squirrel clung to her forearm. Frost Lemur? They were rare. Ice was not a common element in these parts. Why was she so close to me? "Can I help you with something?"
Her cheeks flushed. I had to admit she was pretty cute. "What beast is that?"
"Huh?" I blinked at her.
"It doesn't look like Frost Fox or Ice Hound. So what species is it?" She clarified.
"Oh! He's an Aqua Vulpe, Mutated." Her eyes widened. Then her head dropped.
She sighed, "Oh."
"Is something wrong?"
"My name is Silva White. This is Cass, my Frost Squirrel. She is on track to evolve into a Frost Lemur. I'm amazed your Aqua Vulpe learned Frost Aura. He looks very young."
"Aldric Shepherd," her eyes widened again, "This is Aspen he hatched yesterday. Don't feel bad my skill increases the likelihood of Enlightenment in beasts. I'm Healer/Breeding path." I rubbed the back of my head.
"Then would you mind helping me?" She asked.
I blinked at her in surprise. "I don't know if I can." I had never used my skill on another best. That's why breeding seemed like a better path.
"I can pay you!" Several heads turned to face us. It caught the attention of the teacher who approached us.
"What is going on?" He asked.
Silva flushed but answered, "Aldric has a skill that effects skill learning. I offered to pay him for his assistance."
"Ah yes! Growth. However, Aldric has only recently awakened. I do not believe he has been able to experiment with his skill on his own beasts let alone others yet."
"I would still like him to try!"
He looked at me, "Aldric?"
I sighed, "Some extra income would help out at home." I looked at Silva. "I will need to hold your Frost Squirrel."
"Now hang on," HeartLand said. "We need to discuss payment should this work. Beast Trainers receive a wage even if the training fails. It can take several sessions for a beast to successfully learn a new skill. Given that Aldric is still a student he would charge less than the Training apprentices. The going rate for skills C rank and below is 1,000 credits. So I believe 600 credits would be a reasonable price for his services."
Silva's face took on a determined look. "If Aldric can help my Cass learn skills then I would pay 750 credits per session."
"Alright then it's agreed," HeartLand clapped his hands together. "Let's see if he can help."
I reached out my arm and Silva's Beast quickly hopped onto my forearm.
{Beast Detected! Bloodline Detected!}
I felt my eyes widen. Bloodline?
Bloodline Abino Macaque
{Enhance Bloodline? Yes/No}
"I can help..." I thought about the bloodline enhancement.
"Then do it!" She exclaimed.
How much about my skill did I want to let on?
"I could do more than help with your beasts skills. I believe that your beast is having problems because it's bloodline has not yet awakened."
"Bloodline..." HeartLand asked.
I sighed, "My talent. It allows me some influence over Bloodline."
{Aspen has Successfully achieved small Enlightenment with the Ice element. Ice Kitsune Bloodline has increased to 2%.}
HeartLand's eyes widened before he rushed to his desk. Talents were unique. Since no skill had ever been linked to bloodline before telling everyone it was a talent would be fair easier to pass off. Even then Talents had limitations. HeartLand rushed over to me.
"Return the beast to its Tamer and grab your own. The Headmaster needs to see you."
I tightened my jaw. Aspen had just made a small Enlightenment. It had enhanced his Ice Kitsune Bloodline.
I needed to do research! I needed to leave Aspen in the Ice environment. If he stayed in there... would he continue to grow? There was so much I did not know! Even so I reached into the box and lifted him. Aspen blinked at me. I turned back to HeartLand. He grabbed my arm and pulled me from the room. Aspen glared at the grip. Easy boy.
We walked right into the Headmaster's room. Around the room were beasts. Headmaster Glendale. He specializes in wind types. On the back of his chair was his snow white Hawk.
"Is this the boy," he asked. Glendale had a stern face. He had served in the last beast tide. It's how he had gotten the position. His voice was rough and harsh on the ears. Aspen chilled in my hold.
"This is him, Sir. Aldric Shepherd."
Glendale folded his hands on the desk. Not even gonna offer us a seat then. Fun. "Aldric Shepherd. Son of Rank D Tamer and an Unranked. You scored high in your classes. Top 20 for the last five years. In those five years you have come top 10 and even top 5 enough to suggest in the right environment you would excel. You picked not one but two high potential eggs from the Unranked sector of the eggs we could provide. Although you choose the other one for your friend. Rank C skill that enhances skill Enlightenment and a Talent that allows you to influence Bloodlines. Did I miss anything?" He asked, his eyebrows lifting.
I shifted on my feet, "Aspen has a Bloodline."
He sighed leaning back in his chair. "Of course your beast does. It probably caused your Talent to awaken. You could have gone your whole life without awakening your talent if you never had a beast that fit the conditions."
He might have been right if bloodlines were really my talent. "Sit down there is much for us to discuss. You may go HeartLand." HeartLand nodded and left without a word as I sat down. "The school will provide you a stipend of 3,000 credit each month. That is for awaking a C rank skill. You may also join the elite classes. Doing so will give you better access to resources as well as the potential for a second beast."
"In return for...?" I questioned.
He smiled, "You will be required to get combat experience in the field." My hand tightened on Aspen. "As you are going the healing route you will gain experience as a healer first. Should you decide to actually partake in combat that would come later."
Three thousand a month was a huge help to my family. A second beast would be nice. It would give me a leg up in the University exams in five months. I looked at Aspen. He had a long way to go before anyone would consider him well raised.
"I'll join the elite class."